Col. Hackworth against Iraq invasion(huh?)-Hannity & Colmes

Fox News Channel ^ | 10/14/02 | hannity and colmes

[Diddle E. Squat]

Col. David Hackworth just was on H&C, arguing against the pending invasion of Iraq. Claimed that because our chem warfare outfits may not work, that Bush is "sending America's blue collar sons to die", and that it is really about oil.

[JohnGalt]

Thank you, Madeline Albright.

[oremites]

I've heard Hackworth a couple of times on the Hannity radio show and this is what he thinks we should do: send in inspectors and, at the first location where the Iraqis refuse to let them have unrestricted access, we should drop a deep-penetrating nuclear weapon. His theory is that conventional weapons would spread Saddam's chemical/biological agents stored there, while a nuclear weapon would burn them up. He seems to be serious about this.

Anyone with any brains knows that dropping a nuclear weapon simply because inspectors aren't allowed into some location would turn the entire world against us in a second. The fact that he's suggesting this means that either A) he's nuts, B) he's an idiot or C) he's spreading disinformation. Take your pick, but, whichever it is, it means you can't take anything he's saying very seriously.

[philman_36]

If you don't vote for governor, then please do not complain about whoever is elected.
Barbara Streisand! Just because someone doesn't vote doesn't mean that they can't gripe. You're WRONG Marple!
You act like complaining is an entitlement of voting when it isn't. I gripe as long and lound as any and I've yet to vote for anyone though I've been eligible to vote for over twenty years. I also refuse to "register" as if I were an animal.
SEC. 4. In all elections by the people the vote shall be by ballot, and the Legislature shall provide for the numbering of tickets and make such other regulations as may be necessary to detect and punish fraud and preserve the purity of the ballot box; but no law shall ever be enacted requiring a registration of the voters of this State.
My how times have changed...
Here is a clue...none have been worthy of my vote. I guess you're content voting for the lesser of two evils. You standing on the corner of Compromised Principles and Party Ave. too?

[Miss Marple]

Well, brag about not voting if you like. It is your right.

However, I do not understand why you think anyone should pay attention to your opinion. Given the information you just provided, I certainly won't.

In my opinion, you DO vote for the lesser of two evils. It is called incrementalism, and it allows the electorate WHO PARTICIPATE to gradually move the officials in the direction they desire.

Sit on the sidelines if you wish. I will no longer pay attention to your opinion, since you don't participate in the election process.

[MadelineZapeezda]

Why don't you ask him. Unlike every other bozo on tv and radio that gives out their email addresses, Col. Hack actually replies (tries to )to every email he gets. He did so twice to me.
Email him a question............teagles@hackworth.com

[philman_36]

Oh, please, get off the high horse!

[philman_36]

And BTW...if one, just one, candidate, who could get my vote, would admit that our government is a Republic instead of a democracy I would go vote. After I battled my way through the "you must register to vote" crowd that is.
I'm still waiting and democracy is still growing while the Republic is buried under the hubris of "compromise".

[philman_36]

And I'm still waiting for our esteemed President to have the word "Republic" pass from his lips.
Have you ever heard him utter the word or seen it in any of his speeches or writings? I'd really like to see it if you have.

[Miss Marple]

High horse? Moi?Ha!

Who is it that is so arrogant that NO ONE fits his criteria for a deserving vote?

As I said, I no longer care about your political opinions. You do not participate.

[philman_36]

As I said, I no longer care about your political opinions.
Whatever. Your "political opinions" are all too evident to be seen at the corner of Party Ave.
At least I'm not compromising my principles. I'll stay true to myself first. You too know we're a Republic, yet you too have no problem with democracy pushers.
Go ahead Marple, expound away...

[fire and forget]

I'm with you. Whatever follows, it will include dramatic success as happened in the Gulf War, and it will tend to surprise us all.

[R. Scott]

He could be a bit shy of war due to first hand experience.
Leaders who cared more for advancement up the ranks than for the lives of their troops.
Equipment known to be near useless but touted as excellent.
Politicians who use the military for their own personal ends.

[fire and forget]

Maybe not as quick but certainly as decisive. If our troops are equiped to deal with the chem/bio weapons Saddam has (which they will be), they'll have little trouble penetrating the interior of Iraq and encircling Baghdad. Once there and after utilities are cut off as well as food and supplies, they can establish refugee camps outside the siege and encourage Iraqi civilians and troops by radio, PA and leaflets, to abandon the city to save their own lives if not for other reasons they would already have.

The fear is that loyal Iraqi units, particularly the Revolutionary Guard, would prevent the populace and the garrison from leaving and that the UN would then insist on us going into the city to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. My hope in that event is that a military uprising within Bagdhad would prevent that necessity. Absent that, we can expect to lose a lot of people in the action.

[Red Jones]

When it comes to American military stratigic tactics, he is over his pay grade.

you see you have strategic decisions and then you have tactical means of reaching those decisions, they're two different things. Strategic decisions are the big things you want to accomplish, tactics are the means to reach the goal.

I bet every single fellow who served under Hackworth in vietnam has respect and appreciation for what he says on tv regardless if they agree with his opinions.

It is beyond me how people here at FR can show hackworth disrespect when you comprehend that hackworth is a genuine war hero. Like what you, Hunble, said. You said it was over his pay-grade to make these comments. Well, he's a citizen of the US. That should qualify him to talk about any political issue. Besides being a decorated war hero who served multiple tours in vietnam he retired as a full colonel. He knows plenty about it.

People like Hack who've been to war are frequently un-enthusiastic about it. But when the chips were down in vietnam, hack not only went, but he volunteered to go back again and he volunteered to serve in the thick of it as well.

Quite frankly, I come from much better stock than all of these people on this forum who criticize him, evidence is, I won't criticize him.

[Red Jones]

I don't know exactly what happened with hackworth about 30 years ago. But he served either 2 or 3 tours in vietnam, he was infantry, served in the field. Everyone went on 1 tour, but if you went back a 2'nd time it was because you volunteered. It is very unusual for the army touse such a high ranking fellow out in the field in combat the way they did with Hack. He was considered very valuable out there. He volunteered to go right back into it when he didn't have to. But after his last tour he saw how the politicians in america were not trying to win the war. He went on 60 Minutes, he really pummelled the hierarchy of officers above him whom he didn't think so much of, he also criticized the politicians. He spent some time in Australia smoking dope apparently. Hackworth showed himself then to be one of the best among us IMHO back in those days. The army cut him loose, couldn't have an insubordinate hot-head going on 60 minutes like that and smoking dope too. Hackworth could've had a nice career like the other officers. Instead, he chose to fight in the field with the men. Then, he decided to sacrifice his career as a means of letting people know what we were doing to those men. This man has guts and integrity.

[Red Jones]

your post in #55 is insane. Did you know that hackworth was a war hero from vietnam war? Did you know he volunteered to go back for 2'nd tour to fight in combat? Hackworth has a track record in battle. It is an insult foryou to speak in the manner that you do. Please don't speak any more.

[InvisibleChurch]

he predicted that the US would lose 20,000 troops during desert storm (for whatever that is worth)

[ovrtaxt]

I understand you point of view here-- however I would remind you that the Judiciary Branch, 1/3 of the Federal Government, is at stake. The left is TERRIFIED that conservative judges will be appointed to the Federal bench. Probably the same is true at the state level.

Therefore, I plan to vote a straight R ticket. And I plan to vote against the retention of any judges that are up for approval. Yes, many candidates are dirtbags, but they add to the available support of common sense judges.

[Lx]

Thanks for the info. Anyone who volunteered to go BACK to Vietnam has my respect no matter what he may have done later in life.

A couple a months ago, people were talking about, "Stolen Valor" and someone mentioned that Hackworth was taking credit for medals he didn't earn. It was almost immediately de-bunked. He seems to be a lightning rod for some people.

The thing that gets me about Hackworth is when he's on TV, it's hard to figure out where he's going with whatever he's talking about. This is the first time I've heard he was a liberal, hell, I couldn't tell you his political persuasion if I tried.

[JimRed]

I've heard Hackworth a couple of times on the Hannity radio show and this is what he thinks we should do: send in inspectors and, at the first location where the Iraqis refuse to let them have unrestricted access, we should drop a deep-penetrating nuclear weapon. His theory is that conventional weapons would spread Saddam's chemical/biological agents stored there, while a nuclear weapon would burn them up. He seems to be serious about this.

Anyone with any brains knows that dropping a nuclear weapon simply because inspectors aren't allowed into some location would turn the entire world against us in a second. The fact that he's suggesting this means that either A) he's nuts, B) he's an idiot or C) he's spreading disinformation. Take your pick, but, whichever it is, it means you can't take anything he's saying very seriously.

I'm with Hack on this one. Inspection teams should consist of 100 inspectors plus 400 special ops troops. Give them four hours evacuation time to minimize casualties. The first one will make true believers out of them. Frankly, I no longer give a hoot about what the "entire world" thinks.

Doing it this way would save lots of lives, both US military and Iraqui civilian.